Method of electrically welding composite metal reel heads



A. A. BUREAU METHOD OF ELECTRICALLY WELDING Jan. 4, 1949.

- COMPOSITE METAL REEL HEADS Filed May 20, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet l n a n R ww.

E Y 00 mu TA 2 N 0 N. Z .w W A Q Y .5 Q mum N\ Jan. 4, 1949.

A. A. BUREAU METHOD OF ELECTRICALLY WELDING COMPOSITE METAL REEL HEADS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 20, 1944 /N VE/V TOE r). H. BU/EEHU 5V KM 14 T TOENEY Patented Jan. 4, 1949 UNIT-En SIAIE'SY PATE'NZI" OFFICE;

METHOD OF- ELEOTRICALLY WELDING COMPOSITE .,METAL .REEL HEADS. f

Arthur Ai-Bureauychicago, Ill.,-assignor to WesterntElectric Company, Incorporated,- New York, N. Yr; acorporationof New Yonk Application May 20, 1944, Serial No.,..536,520

diall'y corrugated-head sheet-provided with a.

plura'lity of peripheral tongues-fitting in'to annular grooves in an outer "rim encircling the head sheet and united therewith and an inner rim engaging the inner edge of the annular head sheet and united therewith. In fabricatingthe reel head,.an .inner rim,. a corrugated annular head=sheet and a split outer rim are assembled on a-rotatable table and. are pressed togetherby a clamping device," after which'a welding fixture is moved into position over a portion of the assem-r bled reel head. Arcuateelectrodes are applied toza section of each ofthe rims and the, head sheet and a current is passed'thereth'rough .to alternatelywelda sectionof .each of the. rims to the head sheet, after which the operationis repeated to weld successive portionsof the rimsto the head sheet.

The invention .will bemore iully understood from the following description, taken'in connection with'the accompanying drawings, illustrating a preferred embodiment inwhich Fig. 1 is a plan view of an apparatusemployed in practicingthis invention showing the reel head in position thereon anda Weldingfixturein position to weld;.

Fig, 2.4is. a vertical irregular section-taken on the line 2+2 of.Fig.- 1;

Fig, ,3 is an enlarged section of a portion of the completedzreel head with partslbroken away;

Fig 4 is afragmentary section of the-reel head taken on -the line 4-4 of'Fig 3;

Fig.5:"is1aview-in. perspective of ;a :portion vof.

the corrugated head sheet; and

Fig. 6 i is a schematic axial section: ofa completed reel:-

It. The reel head' l2comprises a radially corrugatedannular head sheet 'l3,'to the inner and outerperipheries'of which are secured inner and outer rims I 4 and 15, respectively; The reel head I2may be attached to the drum-ll by welding the drum to the "projecting ends 'of the inner rim 1 Mas indicated at- H.

In the fabrication of the reel head,-'an-apparatusis used which is illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 and which comprises a circular table 20 having secured thereto a vertical shaft 2|, the table 20' and the shaft 2| being'rotatably mounted in a" standard 22; Fixed to the upper surface of the table'and concentric-with the axis thereof is a locating ring 23 for positioning the inner rim l4 of'the reel head andwhich'is lined with an --as-- bestos-rin-g '24. The outer upper portion of the table for supportingthe parts of the reel head is covered by a layer of-asbestos 26,-the table and the asbestos layer being offset to provide a surface- 21 for supportirigthe-inner rim 14 and a locating ring 23 and rests upon the surfaceZl of the table. The head sheet I3 is next placed" upon the surface 28 of-the table 20 and positioned so that the inner edge 3| thereof engages the periphery of the inner rim 14. The head sheet I3 is made from a'pre-cut substantially rectangular metalsheet which is thencorrugated to form i anannulus =with-its endswelded together, as indicated at 32.'- The crests of-the corrugations are of "varying depth and form spoke-like ribs 33 radiating from the axis of the head sheet and the 'trough portions-34" intermediate the ribs 33 The outer ends ofthe walls of the ribs 33are-notched, as at 35, to: form a pluralityof arcuate tongues 36and 31 are flat and lie in aplane.

extending from the ribs-33 and the portions 34 of the head sheet.- The tongues 36 are-flattened and'li'e in a plane parallel to the tongues. 31, the tongues 36 and-3'1 being-equidistant from The outer rim' 15? the center of the head'sheetl is made from a metal strip having longitudinal recesses 38 and-39' formed'therein. The strip is cut'to the proper-length-and bent into"cir' cular shape-*and..=fitted around =the-head sheet w so that the projecting tongues 34 and 36 on the head sheetfit-into the -recesses in the outer rim.

The annular recesses '38 "and. 39 .ofthe rim I5 form a plurality of shoulders that engage theside --fa'ces-of" the tongues 34' and 36 and the bottoms of the recesses 38 and form'cylindr'ic'al i portions that "engage the a peripheral j edge --portio'ns oithe tongues;

A clamping device 3|? forclamping the outer and inner rims'to the head sheet is provided and comprises a flexible band 42 adapted to fit around the outer rim I5. The ends of the band 42 are attached to pivot brackets 43 and 44. An operating lever 45 is pivoted at one end to the bracket 43 and is also pivotally attached at 46 to a link 41, the opposite end of which is attached to the bracket 44. With the band'42 surrounding the assembled parts of the reel head, the lever 45 may be moved to the position shown in Fig. 1 to clamp the outer rim I5 against the head sheet I3 and the slightly compressible head sheet against the inner rim I4 so as to press the inner edge 3| of the corrugated head sheet tightly against the inner rim I4 and the outer edge of the peripheral tongues 34 and 36 tightl against the bottoms of the grooves 38 and 39 of the'outer rim I5. The band 42 may be made from leather or woven fabric and is of less width than the outer rim I5.

After the inner rim I 4, reel head I3 and the outer rim I5 have been assembled and clamped tightly together, they are then ready to be united by means of a welding operation. For this purpose, a, welding fixture 5D is provided and is mounted on a pair of rails 5i so that it may be moved to and from the welding position shown in Figs. 1 and 2, where the upper part overhangs the portion of the reel head. Arcuate electrodes 53, 54 and 55, suitably insulated and mounted for vertical'movement, are carried by flexible arms 56, 51 and 58, which are secured to a lever 59 pivoted at 60. A handle 6|, having a cam 62 engaging the lever 59, is used to move the elec-v trodes downwardly against the pull of the spring 63, which acts to return the electrodes to the normal raised position. The electrodes are connected to a suitable source of current through a transformer 65 and a control switch 66, as shown in diagrammatic form in Fig. 2. The electrode 54 is connected to one end of the secondary 67 of the transformer 65, the other end of Which is connected to a switch arm 68 of the control switch 66. The electrodes 53 and 55 are connected to contacts 70 and II of the control switch 66.

With the reel head in assembled position on the table, the electrodes 53, 54 and 55 are moved downwardly into engagement with the inner rim l4, the head sheet I3 and the outer rim I 5, respectively, by the actuation of the handle 6I. The control switch 66 is then operated to move the switch arm 68 alternately and for a predetermined period of time into engagement with the contacts I and II to permit the passage of a current of welding strength alternately through the head sheet I3 and each of the rims I4 and I to weld a section of the rims I4 and I5 to the head sheet I3. Upon completion of the welding operation, the handle 6| is turned to permit the electrodes to be raised, after which the table is rotated to present the adjacent unwelded section of the reel head to the welding fixture 50. The welding operation is repeated to weld successive portions of the rims l4 and I5 to the head sheet l3 throughout its circumference.

To permit the table and the reel head assembly to rotate through 360 to weld the entire head, the clamping device 36 may be released when the lever gets close to the welding fixture and reclamped on the reel head in another position. After the rims have been welded tothe head sheet throughout its circumference, the welding fixture is moved back to clear the table 26 the clamping device 30 is removed, and the ends of the split outer rim l5 are welded to- 4 gether in a suitable manner, as shown at in Fig. 4.

The inner rim I4 and the head sheet l3 are made from relatively thin metal so that the contacting portions of each, when pressed together and subjected to a current of welding strength, will heat up and fuse together, thus forming a continuous welded joint or homogeneous bond 16 between the head sheet and the inner rim M. In order to secure sufficient heat to insure fusion of the contacting portions of the heat sheet and the relatively thicker outer rim when the electric current is passed therethrough, the parts are shaped, as heretofore described, so as to increase the area of the contacting surfaces therebetween. Thus the projecting tongues 35 and 37 on the head sheet fit into recesses 38 and 39 in the rim and contact along their peripheral edges and at least one of their sides with portions of the rim I5 to form the extended area of contact. Then, as the current passes through the head sheet and the rim, the contacting portions thereof will be heated and fused together to form a series of staggered welded joints or homogeneous bonds, as indicated at TI and i8.

By the practice of this method of assembling and welding, a reel head may be formed involving a minimum expenditure of time and labor. Also, it will be seen that a rugged reel head is formed having a corrugated head sheet bonded to an outer rim by two rows of spaced welded joints around its circumference and bonded to the inner rim by a continuous welded joint extending sinuously, axially and circumferentially therebetween.

What is claimed is:

1. A method of forming a reel head comprising assembling inner and outer annular metal members in abutting relation to an intermediate annular metal member, engaging in radial alignment an arcuate portion of substantial length of each of the annular members with individual conforming electrodes, completing circuits to the electrodes to pass a welding current through the intermediate member and alternately the inner and outer members to weld alternately arcuate sections of substantial length of the inner and outer annular members to the intermediate annular member, and thereafter engaging successive portions of the annular members with the conforming electrodes and completing circuits to the electrodes to pass a welding current through the intermediate member and alternately the inner and outer members to weld alternately successive portions of the inner and outer members to the intermediate member.

2. A method of forming a reel head comprising assembling inner and outer annular metal members in abutting relation to an intermediate annular metal member, engaging a relatively large arcuate portion of each of the annular members with a conforming electrode in radial alignment with each other, completing a circuit to the electrodes to pass a welding current through the intermediate annular member and alternately the inner and outer annular members to weld alternately a relatively large arcuate section of the inner and outer annular members to the intermediate annular member, rotating the annular members as a unit through a predetermined arc intermittently through one revolution, and in sequence engaging successive portions of the annular members with the conforming electrodes and completing a circuit to the electrodes to weld alternately successive portions of the inner and outer annular members to the intermediate annular member.

3. A method of making a reel head comprising, forming a metal sheet into an annular head sheet having radial corrugations therein, notching the axially extending outer end portions of said corrugations on said head sheet to provide radially projecting tongue portions parallel to the plane of the head sheet, bending a metal strip having longitudinal grooves therein into an annular rim, assembling the rim around the head sheet so that the projecting tongue portions on the head sheet engage in the grooves of the rim, clamping the rim against the edge of the sheet, passing a Welding current through radially aligned relatively large arcuate portions of the head sheet and the rim to simultaneously Weld to the rim a plurality of adjacent tongue portions of the corrugated head sheet, and passing welding current through 6 successive relatively large arcuate portions of the head sheet and the rim to form a weld between the rim and the tongue portions of the head sheet.

ARTHUR A. BUREAU.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

